Youxin Ye VS DAG lens repair

<p>Is either DAG or Youxin preferable to another? I've heard DAG takes forever but does VERY good work, whereas I have not heard much about Youxin's lens repairing abilities. At this point I'm thinking Youxin over DAG due to his turnaround estimate of 3-4 weeks, as they charge about the same</p>

<p>Which particular lens model needs attention? What sort of repair is needed? A new indicator ball reset on the lens? Clean and relube of the helical? Or does it need a really major internal repair? How valuable to you is the lens (monetarily, or otherwise)?</p>

<p>Those sorts of questions will dictate your direction.</p>

<p>Let me just say up front that your question is likely to invite a number of opposing responses.</p>

<p>Over the years I have used DAG for various items. I have also employed the services of Sherry Krauter and Gus Lazzari. These factory trained experts are always overbooked, and for VERY good reason.</p>

<p>I have never used Youxin for any service.</p>

<p>I've used DAG for years, Sherry only once and Youxin Ye most recently. In the future, I'd like to try Gus when he isn't overbooked, and will probably continue to use Youxin for my earlier Leica (LTM) bodies. DAG seems to take forever, but honestly has worked miracles with some damaged bodies and lenses I've sent him - not a punctual communicator however. OTOH Youxin Ye works quickly, communicates in a timely manner and really does a great job in explaining or clarifying issues. The work he did for me convinced me that for routine stuff, if he accepts the job, it will be completed professionally and in a timely manner.</p>

<p>It's an older model summilux 50mm f/1.4 from 1969, the helicoil separated from the lens mount. I've got an estimate of $100 from both, whereas Leica USA stated a $300 asking price. I'll probably be going with Youxin at this point, as it's the only lens I have for my Leica and I'd like to get it fixed ASAP</p>

<p>I remember seeing an earlier post in which a noted repairperson questioned if Youxin Ye had a lens collimator. I only know that when he adjusted the older LTM lens I sent him for repair/cleaning he told me he had validated the focus adjustment on an M8.</p>

<p>All these people are top of the line. </p>

<p>I have used DAG's services many times, and once I sent Youxin Ye a camera and lens. I would say that if the repair may need extra finesse and maybe a crafted part for the camera or lens, I would choose Don Goldberg to service my camera or lens. Standard repair/service would be equally well done by both gentlemen.</p>

<p>I know Gus personally and he is very, very good. But DAG has done things for me no one else will touch! Both have a considerable backlog.</p>

<p>I've never used Youxin.</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

I've used Don Goldberg for years. I could not ask for better service.

<p>Youxin Ye is top notch (as are the others), but Youxin is responsive, communicates very well, and charges modestly. What more can one ask for LTM camera repair?</p>

<p>I asked Youxin about calibrating a 135mm f4 Tele Elmar while he was doing a rangefinder upgrade on my M6 and he referred me to DAG.</p>

<p>Before just sending something to Youxin I would call and ask him about it first. His answer might surprise you.</p>

As far as DAG, I've always had quick responses via email- and late at night, which tells me the guy is

probably in his shop working overtime. He once told me he wished he could take a vacation. The work he's done for me was superb. Please don't send your lens to him though; he's got mine and I want it back soon!

<p>I am fortunate that I live close enough to Youxin to drive to his home and wait while he works on my gear. Most recently, Youxin cleaned a Collapsible Summicron for me. He did an excellent job.</p>

<p>I had been referred to Youxin by a tech I know who uses him regularly. When I talked to Youxin he seemed to have a lot of trepidation about working on the specific lens I needed help with (tons of atypical haze that looked like the beginning of mold or microscopic specs of oil). He was upfront about his concern so I took it to Don.<br>

The condition was even worse than I imagined but Don worked a miracle and cleaned the lens exceptionally well. The lens now shoots as good as new! Don also communicated well and was very clear about what was wrong with the lens, how it happened, what needed to be done, what he did, and how it tested after working on it.<br>

Though I did not go with Youxin in the end, I was impressed by how forthcoming he was. </p>

I've had two camera bodies serviced by Youxin, a Leica II and a Canon IIB; top notch work, great communication and

reasonable turnaround. That's my only experience, I have none with DAG.

I suggest you to NEVER use Youxin Ye's services. He is a good person, but he is an amateur after all. He accidentally removed the coating of some Leica lenses I sent him (repairing those lenses ended up being terribly expensive because of Youxin's inexpertise). In addition, he does not know very well which lubricants to use. IMHO he is an amateur and thus he can cause terrible damage without even being aware of it. DAG or Sherry Krauter are much more expensive, but you don't want to gamble with expensive lenses or bodies.

I've had a chance to use Mr. Yes several times, primarily because DAG never responded to my inquiries. I am not kidding. I 've called and emailed this person with requests for camera and lens work but he never bothered to reply. Sherry Krauter did reply to one of my requests for lens-repair (but many other inquires from the past went on unanswered) yet she wanted me to pay up-front so she can check the lens. It was not a small sum either and I found that to be odd so I asked Youxin for help. After describing the problem to him, he actually provided me with a solution and explained how I can fix it myself (it was an easy fix in the end). Mr. Ye, is very responsive, and even though he may be self-taught I wouldn't call him amateurish (as some describe him in the posts above). If he can't do it or doesn't know how to do it, he'll refer you elsewhere. So feel free to reach out to him and see how it goes.

More recently and in addition to my earlier post, I recently purchased a classic 135mm f4 Elmar in M mount from 1960 that Youxin serviced before it was placed for sale, and the lens looks and works like new.

I've used Sherry Krauter for work on a version 1 Leicaflex and purchsased a 35 f2.8 Summaron R that she had rebuilt. Excellent work and results on both items. Additionally, Sherry has a true specialty in addition to her usual work, she does outstanding work on the Leica CL series. After I sent my CL to her for a meter rebuild, she contacted me and offered to put in place all the Leica updates and upgrades that the camera body needed that would make it more reliable. It came back very smooth, the meter remains dead accurate after 10 years and I wouldn't hesitate to send any Leica to her. She does most of her work at night, but will answer e-mails. Overall it is interesting that Leica repair work seems to have come down to just four names and to some extent Leica itself. As for just lens work, I used John Van Stelten for a f1.5 LTM Summarit 50 restoration. The lens was in horrible shape, but his cleaning, centering, mount restoration and specifically, the polishing and recoating of the front element again made it a wonderful soft portrait lens. If you do a review of Gus Lazarri's posts on this forum, you'll quickly understand how complex Leica restoration can be. We're lucky we still have people with their necessary skills to do work for us on our many decades old Leicas.

Just a note, Focal Point, Mr. Van Stelton's company, I believe has stopped accepting new work and is either closing down, or has now closed it's doors for good.

I've had Youxin repair many Leica bodies and a rare 4-digit SN Leotax D-IV. I've had him replace shutter curtains, beamsplitters on Barnack Leica bodies, and other difficult work. I do most of my own lens work. On some of the older coated lenses, the inner coatings are soft and if damaged by oil outgassing- will come off with the slightest wipe with lens cleaning paper or anything else. In the case of some 1940s coated optics that I've owned, it was better to completely remove the coating as the damage due to oil caused a permanent haze. I miss focalpoint, had them recoat a Hot-Glass Summicron that looked like Wax paper. That was one lens that I did not want to touch with regard to the Thorium glass. Thoriated glass is not dangerous in general, just do not swallow or inhale any of it. Which I supposed could happen if taking off the front coating.

 

I've taken several Summarits- they can be very difficult to work on. On two of them, I changed the spacing between the front and rear groups to optimize for close-focus and F1.5. The Summarit has a nominal focal length of 51.1mm used wide-open. At closest focus it is optimized for F2.8, at infinity it is optimized for F1.5. I believe this is how the lens designers dealt with focus shift.

Edited August 25, 2018 by Brian